My cat caught a wild rabbit. What care does it need for its injuries?

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear about your situation - that's pretty rough. It is very kind of you to worry about a poor bunny when you are having problems of your own. Depending on the depth of the wound, how old it is, and how dirty it is, it may not require any therapy or possible could require closure and systemic drugs. If going to the vet is out of the question, I would simply do your best to keep the area clean. If possible, clip all the hair that is surrounding the wound to promote sterility as best as possible. If Sweet Pea is capable of scratching at or licking at the affected area, he will need to be fit with a collar or covering device to prevent self-mutilation. Lastly, you can try to obtain some some triple antibiotic ointment, possibly one with a steroidal component, to help with healing and itchiness. If things do not seem to heal or there are obvious signs of infection, you will need to find a way to obtain veterinary assistance. Infections in rabbits can spiral out of control very quickly so keep a close eye out for discharge, heat, pain, or inflammation surrounding the lesion.

It sounds as if this bunny has a very serious injury and is in critical condition. I would recommend taking it to a veterinarian as soon as possible so it can get appropriate treatment. This does not sound like an injury you can treat at home. Even if you are not able to afford its care I’m sure any vet’s office would be willing to see if they can help it if you are willing to relinquish it. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm so sorry to hear about this poor bunny. The outcome of this little guy seems very poor, and even if she had surgery, her recovery would be difficult and prognosis guarded. Have you looked into the local wildlife authorities, or animal shelters? They would be able to take in the bunny and have her put to sleep. As difficult as it is to make this decision, putting her down would be in her best interest to alleviate her pain and suffering under the circumstances. Thank you for caring and I hope this bunny gets placed in the right hands soon.

You need to take Nibbles into a vet immediately. He could have suffering internal injuries from this attack, and cat bites frequently become infected. Bunnies are very stoic and will hide their pain very well because they are prey animals. Even though he's acting normally, he likely will be hurting from this attack and he needs veterinary attention now. Do not put any more hydrogen peroxide on his wounds as it actually damages the tissues and interferes with wound healing. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Caring for an orphaned rabbit is a lot of work that will require a significant investment in time and some financial investment. The following is a really good link to a ton of information on caring for orphaned bunnies: http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html This website will give you all the information you need on the equipment you will need, the recipe for a formula, how to feed them, how much to feed them, how often to feed them, and when to begin to wean them. If Hopper is truly 3 weeks old instead of 1 week, you can start feeding him some solid food sooner than later. If you believe that there is any chance Hopper might be ill, you may want to have him checked out by a wildlife vet or one that is familiar with rabbits. I wish you the best of luck with your new bunny!

It depends if you want to keep the rabbit or keep it away, please be more specific with your question, i can help you if you choose to keep it but if you are trying to keep him away it's another matter that is out of my expertise.

Oh gosh! I am so sorry to hear this! Rabbits should not be given any over the counter pain medication- it can be fatal to them. Do you have hair or beard clippers? #40 blade is best but a 10 will do the job. Put her in a dim room but enough light for you to see what you are doing. Clip/shave all the hair around the wounds. Use warm water to compress and clean the wounds. If you have the opportunity to have her evaluated by a veterinarian that would be ideal. Sometimes equine veterinarians will help with the rabbits too . Getting the fur off can really help decrease the chance of infection as well as allows you to see what is going on and if it is improving or getting worse. Keep her indoors so flies can’t get to the wound. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.